Synthesis of heterocycles catalyzed by metallic nanoparticles (NPs)

Abstract

Nanocatalysts stand at the boundary between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts, in the sense that in many cases they offer advantages from both, in terms of activity, selectivity, efficiency and re-usability. In this category, metal nanoparticles are playing a pivotal role in most heterogeneous catalytic reactions that are steeply growing with the development of a colloidal synthetic protocol that enables fine control of size, shape, morphology and composition of metal nanoparticles at an atomic level. Research on synthesis of heterocyclic compounds is an important challenge in organic synthesis because heterocycles play an important role in biochemical processes because the side groups of the most typical and essential constituents of living cells, DNA and RNA, are based on aromatic heterocycles. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the recent progress in the catalytic application of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) for the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Catalysis
• metallic nanoparticles (NPs)
• recoverable catalysts
• synthesis of heterocycles